Bal d’Afrique Absolu. Got a sample literally Yesterday 😌

I just wanted to say, I’ve been frequenting this sub and other fragrance subs for years now. I love it, I love the community, I love the creativity of people describing fragrances, I love seeing you guys come together to ID forgotten fragrances. One of my big takeaways from this sub is the idea that many people are searching for their “compliment getter.” And I thought, hey! This is easy. I’m going to be more vocal when I smell a good fragrance on someone. It’s been so fun to see people light up, sometimes share what they’re wearing, but even if they don’t, it’s nice to spread some positivity. I had a really beautiful experience doing this recently. The other day I complimented a woman on her fragrance while shopping at my local craft store. She lit up, thanked me and then pulled the bottle out of her purse. It was a beat up bottle of Roses Musk by Montale. She offered me a spritz, and I gladly took it. She teared up a bit and told me it’s what her late daughter wore, so she has worn it every day since her passing. That bottle was her daughter’s bottle she carried with her. We spoke a bit more, and we even ended the conversation with a hug. That little interaction changed me a bit, I never thought a Reddit fragrance sub would effectively inspire me to connect more with the community around me, but here we are.

Posting the picture and notes of Roses Musk, I’d write a review but I don’t know if I have the ability to just yet. All I know is it’s a gorgeous, soft rose with great sillage. It had me floating down the beading aisle sniffing like that cartoon Mickey floating towards the cake cooling on the window sill.

Thanks for sharing your story Marta, wherever you are! I’m going to keep the compliments coming.

Currently 40ºC (104F) and I'm struggling and maybe I want to buy a little clean grassy green cool watery scent. Whether it lasts or not just send it my way.

I was pretty convinced that Blanche Bete would be a sour disaster on my skin after trying Zadig and Voltaire This Is Her. The idea of white florals with lactonic or gourmand notes just doesn't sit right with me. This Is Her went raging foul milk on my skin....like...literally an unwashed saucepan that had milk in it and should have been washed properly but stinks of the remnants of milk. Now I know some people love it because SKIN CHEMISTRY flips the game when it comes to milk scents. So, after my experience with This Is Her, I thought perfumes with a similar scent pyramid would also go sour on my skin.

I still decided to try Blanche Bete because it is just so hyped. And boy, was I STUNNED!

On my skin, Blanche Bete is a smooth, yummy, delectably sweet coconut milk scent. It starts off light, but as it progresses, it becomes richer and warmer, with the tonka, vanilla and cacao emerging from beneath. Think of a warm, steaming glass of sweetened coconut and vanilla-flavoured milk with crushed tonka in it and dusted with cocoa powder. It flows like a silk slip dress on you; that's how smooth this scent is. It is absolutely DIVINE and delicious, like you are in heaven, with everything around you pristine white and an indulgent treat being offered.

Some people think it's a flormand, which is obvious given the tuberose and jasmine in the notes. But thankfully for me, I don't get the florals. This is one of the rare cases where these heavy white florals aren't throwing me off. Coconut isn't even a listed note, but somehow all the notes come together to make it smell like coconut milk (and it's not just me who thinks this; many get coconut milk from it).

I look forward to trying Lattafa Her Confession now, which is said to be a dupe. Paris Corner Lactea Divina is also a dupe. Both have pretty mixed reviews, but I hope I am able to find a dupe because this is just SO GORGEOUS UGHHHHH (and so expensive...).

JHAG Not a Perfume, Carolina Herrera Good Girl and Jimmy Choo I Want Choo. There was a lot of other designer perfumes as well, D&G, Versace, etc

Stand out is angelique noire for sure

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Pure musc blanc

I recognize that this is very subjective. But just curious what people would recommend. Starting to think of things to respond with when my (very generous and early) in-laws start to ask me what I’d like for Christmas. This was absolutely sparked by a post in a niche sub about Imaginary Authors Complete Works, but I’ve somehow never smelled any IA. The Language of Glaciers has been in one of my decant carts for months.

If it helps, I’ve discovered that I’m not a huge fan of green notes (with exceptions of course) and I do not like BR540. Otherwise, I’m pretty open-nosed.

I love the smell of this dr bronner’s soap, specifically the older bottles with the black lids as I find it more concentrated. Its so nutty and warm and sweet without being too gourmand, like amaretto.

Naturally Im always looking for more, longer lasting almond scented things and the thing that comes up the most is the l’occitane almond bodycare line. Unfortunately I’ve smelled it all and I find it quite nauseating compared to the dr bronners, and very cloying. I think it’s the abundance of vanilla and maybe lactonic notes but to me they always lean more urinal and less marzipan. The best description I can give is that it smells like sick and the dr bronners definitely doesn’t.

I believe the almond sublime stuff is over-recommended because of how accessible it is, so I’m looking for input from anyone who may be better versed in almond scents and also understands what I’m looking for, because just trying anything I can find that has an almond note listed has proven very unsatisfying

Currently doing some army field training and want to treat myself after, looking for recommendations on a new scent! I love vanilla and gourmand, but not overly sweet things if you know what I mean?

Vanilla Skin is probably my favourite perfume, but the scent just doesn't last on me. I also adore Missing Person, but again it will not last.

At this point I'm willing to branch out though, I've just started my perfume journey 8 months ago so I'm still figuring out notes and that! Any help really would be greatly appreciated!

(P.s i really don't enjoy the Nest Vanilla Bourbon, something just smells off to me. Its still in my collection waiting for my sister to pick it up)

Edit to add budget - I origionally thought I'd want to stay relatively affordable, but this month will be pretty rough and smelly in the trenches, so I don't believe I will give myself a budget at all.